


Worth the Wait

by peacelight



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Artist Steve Rogers, M/M, Meet-Cute, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-26
Updated: 2015-09-26
Packaged: 2018-04-23 12:02:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4876078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peacelight/pseuds/peacelight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are certain things every college campus has, an overcrowded library, that one building where no one can get reception and the one coffee shop that is always busy, regardless of time. Bucky hated lines, but one day someone catches his eye that might just make that wait worth his time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Worth the Wait

There are certain things every college campus has, an overcrowded library, that one building where no one can get reception and the one coffee shop that is always busy, regardless of time. Bucky and his roommate Natasha tended to avoid that coffee stop, it was in the middle of campus in the humanities building. The pair instead opted to go to the one in English building, even with the extra walk it was faster. 

That was until Bucky noticed a really cute guy in the overcrowded Starbucks line. He was short, but the tight jeans he was wearing definitely left little to the imagination. From behind he was perfect, plus the slight profile he was seeing wasn’t bad either. Bucky really wanted to get a proper look at that face. 

“Natasha, let’s just grab coffee here. I don’t want to walk all the way to the English complex.” Bucky moaned. 

“The line’s insane” Natasha complained. 

“It’s not like there isn’t a line at the Starbucks express.” Bucky pointed out, it was normally much shorter but it didn’t have a very cute blonde, whose hands were covered in paint. Artist huh, Bucky thought he never dated an artist, it could be interesting. “Look I had a long workout.”

“We could have been half way there by now” Natasha pointed out, as she got into the line.

Bucky followed her, he finally got a good look at the guy, fuck.

Natasha was curious Bucky hated lines more than she did. She started to scan the line. Instantly she knew who Bucky got in line for. Barnes had a type, the blonde currently getting his coffee met his requirements instantly, that and the fact that Bucky was shamelessly checking the guy out. Natasha waited for Bucky to make a move, after all he never had trouble hitting on well anyone. 

Bucky however was having a crisis, now that he had gotten a perfect look at the guys face, he remembered where he had seen him before. It had been his first week on campus, he had by accident knocked a guy over in his rush not be late for his first lecture. Bucky had caused him to spill his coffee on his sketchbook. Bucky had felt awful. The guy had been nice enough, but he basically told Bucky to get to his class since it was important enough for him to run like a maniac, artist guy had tried to make it sound like a joke but he did seem pissed, Bucky didn’t blame him, worse of he was right so Bucky had run off. Not one of his proudest moments. 

When Steve got his coffee he noticed Bucky. The guy was the definition of tall, dark and handsome. The leather jacket, the long hair, and the attitude. He was with an equally hot red head, with same signature smirk. Steve vividly remember the day a stranger knocked him down and caused him to ruin a perfectly good sketchbook. Normally Steve would have chewed out the stranger, but damn if the guy hadn’t looked devastated. Steve could respect someone who felt bad about their mistakes. Steve wondered for a second if he should say hi, a remember me sort of thing, but just as Bucky made eye contact, he turned away. Steve sighed, oh well, he headed off too his first lecture. 

“What the hell?” Natasha asked. “The only damn reason we are in this long ass line is so you could flirt with the guy and the second he makes eye contact, you back down?”

“He was not interested trust me, the guy probably hates me.” Bucky said. 

“Sleep with and forget to call him back?” Natasha asked. She knew whatever Bucky felt guilty about was probably nothing. Someone just needed to put it in perspective for him. 

“Of course not.” Bucky replied, he would never forget anyone.

“Kill his parents.” Natasha asked.

“Who do you take me for?” Bucky asked, Natasha would just continue to list horrible things he could have done until he fessed up. “I run into him and made him spill his coffee.”

“That’s all.” Natasha sighed. 

“It was bad, okay.” Bucky sighed. 

“You can totally come back from that, just buy him a coffee and say it’s to make up for the one you split. Instant pick up line. Your welcome.” With that Natasha took out her phone and tuned Bucky out. 

Honestly it wasn't a bad plan, but Bucky couldn't get the look artist guy gave him out of his head, the little guy had looked at him like he wanted to punch him, not date him. Instead of being straight forward Bucky just changed his coffee routine so that he just so happen to get coffee at the same time as Steve at the overly busy Starbucks. Natasha had swiftly ditched him, not wanting to waste her precious time. 

Bucky was kind of hoping that fate would help him out and he’d end up in line next to Steve maybe then he’d actually work up an apology. Sadly no luck, if he did ever see Steve they’d be at the opposite ends of the line, and Steve never attempted to make eye contact with him again. 

Two and half weeks later, Natasha joined Bucky in the morning, she had enough of her friend being a chicken, she was going to give him a nudge. 

“Look Barnes, you are wasting your time. The worse thing that will happen is the guy will not be interested and you can stop being stuck in the long ass line.” 

Natasha did have a point. They got to the Starbucks and sure enough Steve was there, this time only one person was between them. 

“Don’t wuss out on me Barnes.” Natasha whispered. 

“Shut up!” Bucky hissed. Steve could here. It was loud but not that loud. 

Bucky’s phone buzzed. 

BE A MAN! ASK THE BOY OUT!

Bucky just glared at Natasha, who was smiling. 

Fuck it, why not? 

FINE JUST GIVE ME A SECOND TO THINK

Bucky took more than a second, 7 minutes later it was finally Steve’s turn to order. He was listing off his order and just as Steve finished. Bucky made a quick move. 

“Add a large Vanilla Chia Latte, no foam. Name’s Bucky.” Bucky said. “It’s all on me.”

The guy in front of him glared a bit but let it go. Natasha smiled softly to herself. Steve was surprised but quickly moved passed it. 

“You know usually you ask a guy out for coffee before you buy it for him.” Steve had finally figured out mystery runner guy’s name. Which was a bonus to the free coffee. Steve came to this Starbucks so often that Clint never asked for his name anymore. It was a perk of having a common name. 

Bucky sighed in relief, the artist guy did not look pissed. 

“Eh, I think that’s just a formality. This is a time saver.” Bucky smiled. He tapped his card and moved to the side. 

“Really, so make it a habit to buy coffee for random people, you don’t even know my name.” Steve was highly amused. He had noticed Bucky in the line, but he had never gotten the slightest vibe that he’d want to talk. This was a surprise. 

Bucky remembered Natasha’s suggestion. “Not normally, but I feel like I owe you a coffee. “

Steve nodded. “I won’t disagree.”

Bucky laughed. “So do you hate me? Or is this flirting strategy working.”

“So you are flirting.” Steve said thoughtfully. 

“Frappe for Steve, Latte for Bucky.” 

“Now I know your name too, so you aren’t a stranger.” Bucky added, hoping to get a response that showed whether or not Steve was interested. 

“This is an interesting strategy, but since you skipped the actually asking me to coffee part, how could you know I have the time to flirt, I might have to run off, now that I have my free coffee.” Steve stated, a small smirk present. 

Bucky was instantly more attracted. The guy was teasing him. Clearly he was in no rush. 

“Well for one you are getting your coffee at the busiest Starbucks on campus so you can’t be in a big rush, and two I think you’d have thirty seconds to give me your number.” Bucky replied. 

“This is the closest Starbucks to my lecture hall okay.” Steve replied defensively. “You do seem to have though this out pretty well though. Points for forethought.”

“I like to do things right.” Bucky laughed. 

“Quick question” Steve asked as he stopped near a lecture hall. Damn Steve wasn’t kidding when he said the lecture hall was close. This was the humanities building though, so Bucky normally just cut through on his way to the science building. 

“Shoot” Bucky said. 

“If the line is so long at the Starbucks, why are you always waiting in too?” Steve smiled, the guy knew exactly why and wanted Bucky to admit it. Bucky could respect that. 

“Well…see…I don’t mind waiting in long lines, if the view is nice, and there was this guy with a really cute butt. Made it worth the wait.” Bucky enjoyed watching Steve’s ear’s flush a little. 

The blush was so freaking cute. Bucky vowed to never stop making Steve blush. 

Steve laughed, and pulled out his phone. “I do have to get to class, but maybe we can get coffee properly later.”

“Count on.” Bucky smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it, let me know what you think :)


End file.
